The present invention relates to an anti-pick latch assembly and, more particularly, to an anti-pick latch assembly for locking a follower door of a double door.
A double door generally includes a primary door and a follower door pivotably mounted to two vertical beams of a door frame. A lock is mounted to the primary door and includes a handle on a side of the primary door and a first latch on an end face of the primary door. The first latch can be retracted into the primary door upon pivotal movement of the handle. A latch assembly is mounted to an upper end of the follower door. The latch assembly includes an actuation latch extending beyond an end face of the follower door and a second latch normally extending beyond an upper face of the follower door. When the follower door is moving from an open position to a closed position, the second latch of the latch assembly is moved from an extended, latching position to a retracted, unlatching position by a strike mounted to the door frame. When the follower door is in the closed position, the second latch of the latch assembly is engaged in a groove in the door frame to lock the follower door. Since the first latch of the lock on the primary door is engaged with a receptacle in the follower door, the primary door can not be opened, either. Thus, the double door can be reliably locked. However, the second latch on the follower door is liable to be picked and, thus, moved to the retracted, unlatching position. As a result, the double door could be forcibly opened. Furthermore, the first and second latches may be deformed by heat during a fire and, thus, moved to the unlatching position, leading to the risks of opening of the double door and spread of the fire.
Thus, a need exists for a latch assembly for reliably locking a follower door in the closed position.